


A Minute Before Midnight (Remix)

by Emiline



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Mutual Pining, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24356119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emiline/pseuds/Emiline
Summary: Ada and Hecate, on a beautiful New Year's Eve night.A remix of heathtrash's delightful A Minute Before Midnight.
Relationships: Amelia Cackle | Ada Cackle/Hardbroom
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31
Collections: The Worst Witch Remix





	A Minute Before Midnight (Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heathtrash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heathtrash/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A minute before midnight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22056685) by [heathtrash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heathtrash/pseuds/heathtrash). 



> I have swiped a couple of lines of dialogue directly from heathtrash's fic.

Ada tilted her head towards the gloriously clear night sky, grateful that the storm which had threatened for several days had passed on, leaving this cool, crisp night in its wake, and the stars glittering brightly in the firmament. A little sigh of contentment passed her lips. Here, now, with Hecate by her side, all the world seemed brighter and more hopeful, at the cusp of the new year. Somewhere in the castle, Ada knew, Dimity, Gwen and Algie were singing in the new year boisterously, with an eclectic collection of songs, some of them rather risqué. Here though, on the north tower, no revelry pierced the utter stillness, and she and Hecate might have been the only two people in the world. 

A dangerous thought, that.

“What time is it?” Ada asked, pulling her thoughts into safer channels. 

“A q-quarter to midnight.”

Ada looked over at Hecate, who had elected to not wear anything warmer than her usual outfit, cloak, and hat. “You’re cold,” she frowned, and began unwinding her fuzzy pink scarf.

“I’m fine, Ada.”

“You just don’t want to be caught wearing pink,” Ada teased.

“A witch ought to be able to endure a little cold,” Hecate continued stubbornly, teeth chattering.

“Oh for goodness sakes,” Ada summoned one of her favorite granny square quilts from her office. The yellow, purple and white flowers were not perhaps really Hecate’s style, but the angora wool was assuredly warm and soft, and there was no pink anywhere in it for Hecate to object to.

“Really Ada, there is no need for this.”

“Of course there is a need,” Ada brandished the granny squares. She’d had enough of Hecate suffering things that were easily fixed. “There is no sense in catching a chill merely to prove your endurance.”

Hecate hesitated. 

“A sensible witch would take what is offered her,” Ada pressed, with a hint of smile.

Hecate inclined her head. “Very well.”

Ada stepped forward and tucked the blanket over Hecate’s shoulders and arms. She had a brief, dizzying realization that this was very near an embrace. Before she had time to fully process this, Hecate’s arms had slipped around her and their bodies were pressing together. Ada wondered if perhaps she was dreaming because surely Hecate was not actually _hugging_ her. Hecate did not hug people. Yet astonishingly, that did in fact seem to be happening.

“Hecate?” Ada questioned quietly.

Hecate leapt back, the blanket slipping off one arm. “My apologies Ada,” she fumbled for the blanket and hugged it tightly around her body protectively.  
“You need not apologize,” Ada replied gently. “May I help you with that?” she gestured to the blanket. “You’ve got it a bit twisted up.”

Hecate looked down at it in blank astonishment. She let go of one side, and it started slipping.

“May I?” Ada repeated.

Hecate nodded.

Ada took the squares, untwisted them and readjusted it on Hecate’s shoulders. “Here, this will help.” She opened her palm and in it lay a tasteful silver brooch, in the shape of a cat. She carefully pinned the two sides of the blanket together.

“I admit I was surprised,” Ada continued, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. “But,” she glanced up at Hecate. “not unpleasantly so. It was really very nice. If you,” she wondered briefly how much to press, how much to reveal. “If you wanted to do it again, I wouldn’t mind.”

It was perhaps too much to hope that Hecate returned those warm feelings that Ada had so longer harbored for her deputy, but Ada could not, and truthfully did not want to quash the quiet joy that had flooded her being when Hecate embraced her.

Hecate had as yet made no response. Had she pushed too far?

“Are you alright, my dear?” she asked, as gently as she could.

“Perfectly fine, Headmistress.” Hecate replied, in a tone that was probably meant to be convincing. Her eyes remained rigidly fixed on the horizon.

Well. That was her answer then. Ada twitched her hands away from Hecate’s shoulders. For all her intentions of being careful, she had discomforted Hecate, and misinterpreted her actions besides. The title stung, but it was her own fault, for hoping for so much based on so very little. She tucked the wanting back into a secret corner of her heart. What she and Hecate already had was a very good thing. She would not ruin it for them both.

“Ada—” Hecate stretched out her hand and then seemed to think better of it. She made a minute adjustment to the blanket.

Ada lifted her gloved hands, palms up.

Hecate put her hand in Ada’s and gave her an uncertain smile that warmed Ada far more than the knitwear did. 

“I cannot imagine spending the turn of the year with anyone but you,” Hecate said. 

“Nor I,” Ada agreed.

Hecate reach out slowly and brushed a bit of hair back behind Ada’s ear. Ada twitched, as she resisted the urge to turn into Hecate’s touch.

“Ada?”

Ada sucked in a breath as Hecate’s fingers skimmed her cheek. 

“Your fingers are just a little cold, that’s all.” _And I am a foolish, foolish woman_ , she thought.

Hecate cast a quick warming spell and then placed her fingers on Ada’s cheek. “Better?”

Ada swallowed. “Yes.”

“Did you mean it?” Hecate asked quietly. “When you said you didn’t mind my embracing you?”

A little bit of hope flared in Ada’s heart.

“Yes,” she affirmed.

Hecate lightly traced her jaw, and this time Ada did lean into her touch.

“I never dreamed—I never dared to hope that you—” Hecate ran her thumb over Ada’s cheek. Ada raised her gaze to Hecate’s. Hecate’s eyes shone as brightly as the stars around them. “Are you certain?”

Ada let out a shaky breath. “Oh Hecate, I have never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“And might you—“ Hecate tilted her head. “What is that noise?”

There _was_ something, a sort of off-key buzzing, and then laughter. “I think our friends have taken their revelry outside.”

“Are they murdering an instrument?”

Ada strained her ears. “I do believe it might be a kazoo.”

“A kazoo?” Hecate sniffed. “Ridiculous.”

“Well, yes, but they’re clearly having fun and they certainly cannot get into much trouble that way. Besides it must be nearly midnight now. A little revelry is appropriate, don’t you think?”

Hecate consulted her watch. “It’s a minute to midnight, to be precise.”

“Would you be willing to indulge me in something?”

“What is it?”

“A little revelry of our own. Would you permit me to kiss you, as the clock strikes twelve?”

“It would be my pleasure,” Hecate replied in a tone that sent a thrill through Ada down to her toes. Hecate put her hands on Ada’s waist and drew her close. Ada tugged on the blanket, drawing them even closer together. 

“Ada,” Hecate whispered, as their heads tilted towards one another. The clock tower struck the hour, and their lips met, Hecate’s hands sliding up Ada’s body and into her soft, silver hair. Kissing Hecate, having Hecate kiss her back was more intimate and wonderful than Ada had ever imagined. She slipped her hand up into Hecate’s hair and teased out a curl, accidentally knocking Hecate’s hat off.

The chimes ended, and from somewhere off to the east they heard a wild cacophony. 

“Happy New Year, Hecate” Ada laughed, and tucked her head against Hecate’s neck, marveling in this new closeness.

“Happy New Year, Ada.”


End file.
